Questions about speaking in tongues

Romans10:9 said:

Hello everyone. I needed some guidance on speaking in tongues.

My dad told me I was saved when I was a kid, and that the Holy Ghost was given to me too and I started speaking in tongues instantly during church (I don't remember this).

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That can quite often happen and then when you grow up you don't remember a lot of things when you are a kid.

I'm 30 now, but the last 20 years I rarely spoke in tongues and fell away from Jesus. The last year I had this urge to serve the Lord and up until about a month ago the urge was at its highest where I just wanted to stop sinning completely and go to Him, so I did.

Now I just wanted to get some guidance from others about speaking in tongues, and your experiences. I started recently, once very late at night for about 3-4 hours during a fight I've been having with the devil, and the next morning/afternoon I felt awesome and healed until the attacks came on again later that day, where speaking again didn't seem to help comfort me. Both times I forced myself to speak.

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That's quite normal. When you are in a spiritual warfare situation you can get opposition from the enemy because He hates tongues because he cannot understand the language (only God can) but he knows that it is doing him damage so he resists it. This is why we have a scripture: The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. There are different kinds of tongues, and when you are speaking praise or fellowship tongues, there is a better flow of language. But as I said, when you are fighting the enemy, then there is more effort involved because you are fighting a battle in the Spirit.

So I'm just wondering, do I force myself to speak? I was told that the Holy Spirit isn't going to speak for you and you have to force words to come out, so that's what I remembered to start doing.

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Praying in tongues is an act of faith. You have to do it. You have to form real and articulate words, believing that God understands and appreciates what you are saying. At first it seems like an effort, but as you gain experience, the flow is easier. Just speaking babababababa is not tongues, but rundu sekunda karabunda semundu kindaia is tongues. You don't just speak from your mouth, but from your heart. I told one guy to speak from his stomach and he started speaking like a Japanese sumo wrestler! That was funny! But he started to complain of a sore stomach. So I told him to speak from his heart and think of a real prayer need on his heart and then he got the idea. You don't need any particular emotion. I am usually just normal, just like when I speak in English having a casual conversation. People would think I was crazy if I started speaking to people in ecstacy! They would send the fellas in white coats to come and get me. So you don't have to work up emotion. God wants to hear the Spirit speak through you from your heart.

Or am I suppose to feel something, like an emotion or a presence and then I just suddenly have the urge to blurt stuff out? Watching old Kenneth Hagin videos, his members acted very differently, like you could tell there was a presence or something, or that they were forced to speak or let the Spirit speak. Not sure how to describe it, but it was different than what I'm doing.

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I jumped the gun in my last paragraph. No, you don't need any emotion or sense of a presence. But as you have already described, you did have a joyful and fulfilling response when you spoke in tongues, and you sense the filling of the Spirit. You do not need that beforehand, but it often comes as a result of speaking in tongues.

Am I not experiencing certain things because I'm so carnal minded still? Do I continue to force myself to speak a few hours or more every day until I start feeling an emotion, a presence, or comfort? I was told this builds me up spiritually. Should I speak louder? Fast or slow?

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It's not because you are carnal minded. The point of tongues is to develop the fruit of the Spirit in you, so it makes no difference whether you are carnal minded or not. I have been a believer for 50 years and I still feel carnal minded in many ways. Carnal mindedness in Paul's opinion was trying to follow the Mosaic Law to try and be a better Christian than having full faith in Christ, which in his view was being spiritually minded. Having full faith in Christ brings life and peace. There is no such thing as a "spiritual state". That is New Age mysticism. We approach the things of God through faith in His Word.

All you have to do is to speak at normal conversational pace and with normal volume. You don't have to shout and yell for God to hear you. You don't have to act "spiritual" either. Just be the person you are. Just relax with it and not try and get any emotion by speaking in tongues. Ask God to guide your tongue and then relax and make up interesting words that express what you want to say to the Lord. We put expression into our words when we are speaking to anyone else, why not do the same to God when we speak in tongues to Him?

How do I know it's not me speaking gibberish. I'm going by faith right now that it's not since I can't perceive anything else, such as an emotion, an urge, or the energy that I've seen others have. I don't think I'm mimicking anyone either, for example my dad sounds different than me, plus I remember I spoke different words years ago compared to now.

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You don't know. That is what faith is all about. You speak what you believe is tongues. You have your own language. The difference is because of experience. But you can make up new words in faith. Step out in faith and do it. When I use new words and a flow happens, I get joyful and want to laugh. That's how tongues affect me.

Sorry for the long post, it's just that I don't remember my first experience and how it felt, but I know I never lost the gift of tongues, I'm just not sure how to use it properly now I guess.

Like, if I feel I'm consciously slowing down my speaking, or controlling what to say because I keep saying the same things over and over so I create new words and sounds, then I don't know if it's still the Holy Ghost or not. Or if I should keep saying the same things over and over until something changes from there.

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You are doing the right thing. Just relax and enjoy it. Speak from your heart God. Experiment with new words. You will speak different languages based on whether you are praising, fellowshiping, interceding or fighting the enemy. It is exciting. I have been speaking in tongues for 50 years and I wouldn't be without it.

Now, if anyone comes on this thread and puts you down for speaking in tongues or tries to say it is rubbish and gibberish, report them to the moderators because this is a Pentecostal forum and those who don't believe in tongues have no right to debate here. I will monitor this thread and if you don't report them, I will.

If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.

P.S. Be radical! PM me with with a typed sentence in your tongue and I will interpret it for you. That will be a boost to your faith.

Romans10:9 said:

Well I usually speak these faster, so I tried to slow it down to understand and make them out. I think they're out of order because I kept stopping to focus on a word and comprehend it because I'm really tired (I might've missed some too, I don't know), but these are the words I usually keep saying. Kumina or Tomina usually start the sentences too. I hope this helps and thanks again for your help, it means alot!

Kumina bakana shokana soto manaka na

tomina bakata shokinima casatomina tokinima

Balakanima

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Looks good to me! Here's my interpretation. Note that I give it in faith and not because I have some magic way of translating it. I won't know what to say until I actually start. I will just ask the Lord to give me the interpretation and then start typing.

Interpretation: The Lord is lifted up high, above all that would hinder his victory in every battle, so that everything that opposes His grace and mercy in believers will be totally defeated.

Thank you Oscarr and Romans10:9 for this gesture of dependency upon the Holy Spirit! I pray His comforter bring you into further compelling brilliance to forward glory to God. Lest anyone is unfamiliar, this isn’t customarily a private discussion (even in letter form),

“For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; , , Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.” (1 Corinthians 14:31, 29)

Of course, the brevity doesn’t offer much to weigh except the need to intensify that praise.

Glory to His Church, the body by the only wise Counselor!

Oscarr said:

He hates tongues because he cannot understand the language (only God can) but he knows that it is doing him damage so he resists it.

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That has not been my experience. I have prayed in tongues during a deliverance ministry and the demon that was manifesting seemed to understand every word I prayed and was terrified.

DaveW-Ohev said:

That has not been my experience. I have prayed in tongues during a deliverance ministry and the demon that was manifesting seemed to understand every word I prayed and was terrified.

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That's interesting! Thanks for that. It is a good confirmation that tongues is genuine and powerful not only in communing with God but also defeating the devil. I have prayed in what I call "strong tongues" when in spiritual warfare, and found victory through it. Strong tongues is when you need an extra "high octane" type of tongues to break through something that ordinary prayer won't do. It is the difference between an ordinary drill and a hammer impact drill. It is not yelling in tongues, because it's not the volume that has the effect. You have heard of the expression, "Shout for all you're worth, argument very weak!" No. It can be quiet, but very intense. Strong tongues is not spoken in an easy, joyful way that ordinary tongues are spoken. It is spoken with intense expression, using intense words that give you the sense that you are breaking through something. The way I imagine it is when I am at the gym doing deadlifting. It takes effort to lift 120kg and I might say to myself, "I know this is heavy, but I'm going to lift this sucker up!!!" If you transfer that sense of effort to tongues, you find that your words become very intense, and you might find new words to match the intensity. It may tire you to pray this way, but after a time there is the sense of breaking through like going through a dark tunnel then breaking out into bright sunlight. Then you might start laughing and praising God in the relief of breaking through.

I was called upon to intercede for a woman in hospital with a bleeding ulcer. She was losing so much blood that they were concerned that if they did not stop the bleeding she would bleed to death. They were having difficulty and she was on the danger list. I started interceding in tongues and then suddenly this new language came out that was coming so fast and intense that I couldn't make out the individual words. It was almost like a fax machine sound. This carried on for about 20 minutes and then it subsided. Actually it affected my normal tongues from then on. I found out a day later that the bleeding had stopped and she was off the danger list.

So, "strong" or intense tongues is when you are praying with the sense that you are pushing against a hindrance or a blockage in the spirit. It takes effort and you keep pushing until you get the breakthrough. My daughter went through a clinical depression for two years, and I prayed like that off and on for all that time. She came out of the depression and is now living a normal healthy life. This was intense tongues but not acute, shortlived ones, but a more long-term intercessory "project". The long-term type is intense but not so draining because it is being done over a longer period of time, but it is just a little more intense than ordinary tongues because you are praying for a resolution no matter how long it takes. But there comes a sense of victory when you can know that the end of the battle is come and the outcome is just around the corner.

Romans10:9 said:

So I'm just wondering, do I force myself to speak? I was told that the Holy Spirit isn't going to speak for you and you have to force words to come out, so that's what I remembered to start doing.

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But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:20
Get back to basics. Learn from the scriptures themselves. Read Acts. Confirms that speaking in tongues is the Bible
evidence of being filled with the indwelling Holy Ghost [Spirit].
Read Romans (chapter 6 > water baptism,
chapter 8 > being led by the Spirit, chapter 12 > Christian living.

For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands
him; howbeit in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 1Corinthians 14:2

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit,
and I will sing with the understanding also. 1Corinthians 14:15 > Jude 1:20

To pray in the Spirit is the New Testament. Praying in tongues brings about wonderful results, such as healings and miracles.
Answered prayer and the truth of the scriptures confirm that it is not gibberish.
Do not be deceived by unbelievers who deny the full gospel of salvation.
I get up an hour earlier than I need to. I deal with the cat and the dog, and then make myself a strong coffee.
Then I pray for a minimum of half-an-hour to start the day off. I pray often throughout the day in tongues.
When I am driving my car I often pray in tongues. It is exercising the power of God within me.

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 1Corinthians 14:18

What did Jesus himself say?
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick,
and they shall recover.
Mark 16:15-18

Romans10:9 said:

Am I not experiencing certain things because I'm so carnal minded still? Do I continue to force myself to speak a few hours or more every day until I start feeling an emotion, a presence, or comfort? I was told this builds me up spiritually. Should I speak louder? Fast or slow?

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You need to fellowship with like minded Christians in a Pentecostal Church that is renown for its adherence to the Bible and
where all the congregation are familiar with the baptisms of water and the Holy Spirit.
Where ALL speak in tongues as the Bible evidence of this truth.
Where all have testimonies to being converted by the gospel, and to miracles, healings, answered prayer, and many other
signs and wonders as our Lord blesses his Church for their faith and obedience.

The Revival Fellowship, Fresno – A Church that knows the truth and has the proof

DaveW-Ohev said:

That has not been my experience. I have prayed in tongues during a deliverance ministry and the demon that was manifesting seemed to understand every word I prayed and was terrified.

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Agreed. Praying in tongues is a spiritual language that the spiritual world understands very well; both good and evil.
Satan and his fallen angels know and understand what speaking (praying) in new tongues is all about.
That is why the dark side invests so much effort into creating unbelief and confusion in respect to the truth of the
scriptures that present only one Bible evidence for the infilling of the Holy Spirit in accordance with John 3 and Acts 2.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass,
or a tinkling cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

Forcing tongues sounds to me like speaking Japanese while experiencing constipation on the toilet. I don't think we need to speak in tongues like that. What you end up with is a sore throat and sore abs. When speaking in tongues, one needs to be totally relaxed, to speak from the heart and let the language flow out. You can make up words in faith and be expressive without talking as if you have constipation. I think that those who try and force it misunderstand the nature of faith. Faith in terms of tongues is making up a language that you believe is tongues and that God understands it. It might feel awkward at first, but there comes a relaxed flow and fluency and you sense the flow coming from your heart to God. For example, I can type my tongue language. I demonstrated that in a previous post, and then gave the interpretation. All the time I was sitting in my easy chair in my lounge with a cup of coffee at my side, and not in any type of hyped up church meeting.

We can over-spiritualise faith and the gift of tongues, and have an expectation that the flow will happen without us having to do anything ourselves. Some never receive the gift because they are waiting for something to happen to them when all the time the Holy Spirit is waiting for them to exercise faith and start making up words. Some wait for some sense of ecstacy, so the get hyped up in a meeting and try to speak in tongues under extreme emotion. Maybe they succeed, but when they calm down and get home again, they find that they can no longer speak it. This is because their faith is based on extreme emotion, and not on the Word of God which says that a Spirit-filled person can speak in tongues anywhere, and it is under their control whether they speak it or not. And, if one is seeking the gift under extreme hypo or emotion, the devil is always there to give a counterfeit. But if one is exercising faith in the way I described, they can never get a counterfeit, because God always gives you what you ask for if you exercise faith in His Word.

Oscarr said:

Forcing tongues sounds to me like ...

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No one should EVER be "forced" into trying to speak in tongues, either physically, emotionally or spiritually.

For someone to step out from being forced opens one up to a demon spirit of false tongues. I have encountered people with that "gift" before and had to kick out a demon.

Romans10:9 said:

I'm still working at it everyday though, just speaking out in faith like you said.

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Tongues is not for amusement nor for entertainment.
It is a God given prayer language by which we exercise the power of the Holy Spirit to renew us; to cleanse us;
to strengthen us; to express unto our Father in heaven ALL of what is going on within our lives both naturally and spiritually.

A Pentecostal saint is disciplined in their walk with the Lord.
The epistles are written to the Spirit-filled church and exhort us to be led of the Spirit, and to renounce foolish worldly habits
and previous sins.
Tongues is our prayer life. Learn to pray morning and night. Pray often if you have opportunity to do so.
Read your New Testament and learn from the Apostles.
Sing in tongues if you are able to. This is quite OK. It is your ability to praise our Lord ion psalms and hymns.

For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works.
Titus 2:11-14

Waggles said:

Tongues is not for amusement nor for entertainment.
It is a God given prayer language by which we exercise the power of the Holy Spirit to renew us; to cleanse us;
to strengthen us; to express unto our Father in heaven ALL of what is going on within our lives both naturally and spiritually.

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So, you reckon that if we enjoy and have fun praying in tongues that we are using it just for amusement and entertainment? I get highly amused and entertained when I pray in tongues. I take the gift of tongues very seriously and it is the most valuable tool in my prayer toolbox. Praying in tongues gives me great joy and satisfaction.

The normal cows in the paddock choose the nice juicy clumps of grass. The "spiritual" cows choose the ones with the cow pats on them because they don't want to enjoy them.

Romans10:9 said:

Sorry everyone, I didn't want there to be a misunderstanding here because I didn't explain the forced part at all, but by force to speak I just meant to put together syllables and such like what I typed to Oscarr above.

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I have known people who take peoples' jaws in their hand and work the jaws so whatever the person utters comes out mangled in an attempt to physically force the person to speak in tongues.

DaveW-Ohev said:

I have known people who take peoples' jaws in their hand and work the jaws so whatever the person utters comes out mangled in an attempt to physically force the person to speak in tongues.

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Unacceptable. The Holy Spirit gives the genuine experience.